NOTES ON A SCANDAL
UK, 2006, 95 minutes, Colour.
Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett, Bill Nighy, Michael Moloney, Andrew Simpson, Philip Davis.
Directed by Richard Eyre.
The twenty words or less review is quite easy. Fine performances. Incisive script. Emotional and moral insights into serious issues. Sometimes obtrusive score. Effective photography and direction.
Some necessary expansion. We are used to a rather regal Judi Dench, whether it be Queens Elizabeth or Victoria, whether it be M or Mrs Henderson. Here she plays superbly against type (which was getting a touch harridan-pompous as Lady Catherine de Burgh and Lady Bracknell). She is Barbara Covet, an ageing, unmarried teacher at a run-down London school who describes herself as a battleaxe. She writes a diary (the ‘notes’ of the title). Living alone, though devoted to her cat, she is isolated but in need of affection. She talks to herself in her notes.
We are used to Cate Blanchett being different in every film. The same here. She is Sheba Hart, a hopeful art teacher, married to an older husband (a wonderfully sympathetic performance from Bill Nighy with no characteristic tics), with two children, the younger a jovial boy with Downes’ Syndrome.
Barbara is always acerbic, often acidic, observes Sheba with disdain but then decides that Sheba will be her friend. Information about the film probably ensures that audiences know beforehand that Sheba begins a relationship with a fifteen year old student. This has a powerful effect on Barbara with potential for good and power for devastating evil.
The two fine actresses work so well together, especially as Barbara controls Sheba and Sheba, not realising she is being controlled, confides in Barbara as a friend and then confesses to her as a wise and understanding guide.
As might be expected, the film builds up to a highly emotional climax, admirably shown in what seems a straightforward scene where Barbara’s cat is to be put down and she wants Sheba to accompany here while Sheba must go to her son’s school play. The tension is palpable.
Both actresses were Oscar-nominated.
Playwright Patrick Marber (Closer) has adapted Zoe Heller’s Booker-nominated novel (also Oscar nominated). There is one too quick plot development involving a waste paper basket that is, perhaps, too easy. And to have reporters and paparazzi camped outside Barbara’s house for some weeks is not credible. Philip Glass’s effective score (another Oscar nomination) is sometimes too loud and obvious.
It is the moral issues of the relationship between teacher and pupil, the pupil being under age, that are quite straightforwardly handled in terms of ethics and the consequences of such behaviour and its criminal aspects. However, it is the emotional context of the wilful woman lacking in self-confidence and the boy who is curious (with consequent seductive attitudes) that enable us to appreciate just how such situations actually occur.
Thoughtful and involving adult drama and concerns.
1.The impact of the film? Awards and nominations? A novel of a diary? The screenplay by playwright Patrick Marber? Female perspectives as interpreted by a male writer?
2.The London locations, Hampstead Heath, north London, the streets and overpasses, the school, classrooms, principal’s office, common room, the cafes? Homes? Authentic atmosphere?
3.The quality of the photography and lighting? Philip Glass’s score – and its being obtrusive at times?
4.The title of the film, the reference to Barbara’s diary? The subtitle: What Was She Thinking? Its relevance to the film?
5.The skill of the actresses, their nominations?
6.Judi Dench as Barbara: her look, hair, make-up, clothes, smoking? Her tone of voice? Her vocabulary? At home, isolated and lonely, her cat, the cat’s illness, her visiting the vet, her desperation when it had to be put down? At school, a battleaxe, interactions with the staff? Discipline of the children? An observer of people, her voice-over and the notes on characters, her caustic remarks, on the fat teacher and her pregnancy? On Brian Bangs? On the headmaster? Her observing Sheba, at supervision, in the class, with Steven and his being shirtless, her intervention in the dispute? Writing all this in her diary?
7.Cate Blanchett as Sheba, being observed by Barbara and the audience? In herself, wanting to be a teacher, not handling the situations well, the classes, supervision in the yard, the fights, noticing Steven without his shirt? The dispute between the two students and Steven defending her honour, Barbara’s intervention? The friendship with Barbara, talking with her, easily able to confide in her, telling her story, married at twenty, her relationship with Richard, his first wife, her studies? The sexual relationship? The children, Polly as the adolescent and her problems, especially with Peter? Ben and his Downs Syndrome? Her easygoing manner, going to the café, inviting the pregnant teacher? Inviting Barbara to dinner? The raucous dinner, the dancing afterwards, the studio? Barbara’s observation about the bourgeois bohemians?
8.Barbara, her reaction to Sheba, deciding that she would be a friend, experiencing the confidences, dressing formally for the dinner, the drink, the meal and the lasagne and her acidic comments, the dancing and her being drawn in? In yard afterwards? Seeing Sheba’s den? Her plan? The memories of the other women? Her saving a seat for Sheba at the concert, the rock song for Christmas?
9.Her seeing Sheba and Steven, the close-ups of her eyes, her reaction? Confiding in the diary? Her decision, the phone call to Sheba, accosting her, confronting her? Sheba’s guilt? Her decision not to tell the authorities despite the ethics? Her realisation of her power over Sheba? Emotional blackmail? Dream of having her as a companion, for life? Consoling Sheba? The incident of touching her arm – and Sheba drawing back?
10.Sheba’s reaction to being caught, her fears, the moral issues? Her explaining that she wanted to let loose, the crisis in her marriage, her relationship with her children, the criminal aspects of her liaison? Steven and his story about his parents, the classes, defending her honour, her helping him, the extra classes, going to his home? His story, the advances? Her allowing him to make the advances? The furtive relationship? Her decision to cut it off, his phone calls, the meeting under the bridge, continuing the affair? Her decision, her will, morality? The effect? The consequences?
11.Richard’s story, the professor, his first wife, the marriage, the children, his easy rapport with Ben, watching television with him, the meals? With Polly? Wanting to go to the play, his anger at Barbara? His being upset with the truth, ousting Sheba? The attack by Steven’s parents? Polly and Ben and their seeing it? The delineation of Polly’s character and her problems? Ben?
12.Barbara and her dreams, her fantasies, the illness of the cat, it being put down, the tension and the street argument about her demands that Sheba come with her?
13.Brian Bangs, the attraction to Sheba, Barbara’s initial comments about the attraction in her diary? His visit, her wariness, the irony that he was infatuated with Sheba? Barbara’s decision, giving him the information, poisoning the situation?
14.Steven’s parents, their not being what Sheba thought, their anger, attacking her in the house, the children watching?
15.Barbara and her comforting Sheba, the discussions with the headmaster and the accusations, the suspicions of the staff? The reporters outside her home, her defiance? Taking Sheba in? Consoling her?
16.Sheba, the disgrace, her accepting this? Staying with Barbara? Putting on the make-up, seeing the paper in the wastebasket, reading it, searching the rooms, her outburst after reading the diaries, her attack on Barbara?
17.Barbara, the headmaster, his wanting her to retire, his information about the restraining order? Putting to the lie all the details about Barbara’s previous friendship?
18.Sheba, going back to Richard, his allowing her in, the audience seeing the headlines of the papers, the trial, her sentence?
19.Barbara and her beginning again, her destructive attitudes, the girl sitting on the bench in Hampstead Heath?
20.The portrait of Steven, his age, precocious, curious, talking the language of love, sexual behaviour, his lies about his parents?
21.The nature of scandal, the headlines, teacher-student relationships, underage relationships? Crime, law? Consequences? Moral and ethical issues?
